The Hunt
by Sheankelor
Summary: Zoicite is hunting pirates. The story happens during Crystal Tokyo time period. This story is in my Tainted Gifts universe. A collection of short stories written for SMMFFC in livejournal. Please let me know if you enjoy!
1. All is Lost

Title: All is Lost  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Pirates)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

All is Lost 

Zoisite flipped through the reports one last time. Shutting the folder, he leaned back in his chair and stared off into space. _'Pirates. That is all it can be. Boats mysteriously disappearing, small pieces of the wreckage washing up on the shore months later, no survivors, and the cargo ending up on the black market.'_

Rubbing his eyes, he wished he was wrong. He wished that the folder would vanish. _'No survivors. Not one of the crewmen are ever seen again. That is alive or dead. Not one. And that has the families' hopes up.'_

Looking at the innocent looking folder. Zoisite picked it up and shoved it into his briefcase. _'A deceptively simple packaging for a horrendous group of people.'_ And he knew that they had to be horrendous. Most pirates don't destroy their prey. 


	2. Watching and Waiting

Title: Watching and waiting   
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (destruction)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Watching and waiting 

Zoisite hunkered down on the sand dune, hiding in its shadow. On the beach near the cliff was a merchant's ship. A large group of scraggly looking men were carting off the cargo. He scanned the area looking for the ships crew. When he finally spotted them, he wished he hadn't. _'Thirty minutes ... If I had made it here at least thirty minutes ago, with reinforcements..'_ Saying a small prayer, he averted his eyes from the butchered pile of bodies. One mystery had been solved.

Eventually all the cargo was removed from the ship. Zoisite watched in surprised awe as the pirates destroyed the ship completely. Then, they cast out to sea all the parts with identification marks. The rest of the ship followed the path of the cargo. _'Are they selling the parts of the ships as well?'_ Slithering back down the sand dune, Zoisite snuck away. Back at the seaside inn, he stared out the window. _'Such carefully wrought destruction. Who could be behind all of this?'_


	3. Not like in the movies

Title: Not like in the movies  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Movie Reference)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Not like in the movies

Zoisite felt like throttling the official. Instead, he pulled out every ounce of diplomatic training and used it. In an icy, calm voice, he continued trying to convince the council that they need to take action. "These pirates are nothing like the ones you see in movies. They are even worse than most historical pirates."

The obnoxious council man started again. "Oh? You can prove that? What have they done that is so horrible? All they do is steal from wealthy merchants and give it to the poor. They're spreading the wealth around."

Zoisite envisioned one of Jadeite's daggers sticking through the man's ribs. _'Is this man working for them? Or is he just stupid?'_

Looking at the other members of the council, he saw that the obnoxious one was winning. His aggravation tried to leap out. Reining it in, he continued trying to convince them that they needed to help with getting rid of the pirates on their shores. "They are spreading death and destruction. They have almost bankrupted two smaller merchant families. And I have yet to see any signs of the wealth being spread to the poor. All of the cargo ends up on the black market. Somebody is making a lot of money, but the poor around here are not any richer. At least they are not spending any more than they used to."

Some of the council members looked thoughtful, but the obnoxious one just sneered. "I'd advise you to find us some tangible proof. If you can, then we'll help." The other members slowly nodded in agreement.

Zoisite stared at the councilman. _'You want me to find proof. Should I drag one of the dead here and drop him on the floor in front of you? No then you would blame me, not them.'_ His eyes narrowed slightly as the man started sweating. _'I really think you are in on this... So I need proof..And since you want a movie.. I'll give you a movie.. A detective movie.'_

Spinning about, Zoisite swept out of the chamber. 


	4. Timing is everything

Title: Timing is everything  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Bad advice)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Timing is everything

Flipping through the ledgers, Zoisite looked for any links or ties to the cases. _'It would help to have the ship's log for all of the missing merchants ships, but that is impossible.'_ The logs were one of the things that never appeared, anywhere.

Leaning back in his seat, he tried to think where they could be. _'I doubt they are using the same cave. They have probably cleared it out. There would be no use in going back, and of course if I did go back and they were still there, I could end up dead.'_

Rubbing his brow, Zoisite tried to block the memory of the councilman advising him to get proof. _'That is the type of proof he wants, too. I shouldn't listen to him. All he has given me is a bad time, so there is no reason not to consider his advice as bad advice.'_

Turning back to his research, Zoisite chaffed under the time constraint the council had given him. He had until the next council meeting to have their proof. _'And the next council meeting is in two weeks. That isn't enough time.'_ The last sentence echoed through his mind. It was the same one he had said when he had first read about the pirate's attacks. There was not enough time between the attacks to be just one group. _'But it is only one group. And two weeks still... Two weeks..'_ Narrowing his eyes just slightly, he went on a hunt. A few moments later he had all the missing ships arranged in order from first to last. Arranging them like a calender, he noticed that the attacks all occurred two weeks apart, and that they happened between council meetings. Also, each merchant family's ships were attacked in a row, as if the family was the target, not the ship.

Zoisite stared at the pattern amazed that he had missed it before. Picking up his cell phone, he called for some aid.


	5. Justice

Title: Justice  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Finale)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Justice 

Zoisite smirked down at the man he had so badly wanted to catch. The councilman cringed at the expression on the man's face. All around them, a battle still raged. The Royal Navy was taking the pirates into custody with the help of the crew of the most recently captured merchant ship. Zoisite knew that he would never tell about why there were so few left alive to stand trial. The Navy and the merchants had found the graveyard. Zoisite had taken one look into the cave, and had to walk away. The pirates had thrown all the body parts of their past victims in to the cave, and had not even bothered to bury them.

The councilman sensed that Zoisite was distracted and tried to flee. His movement caught Zoisite's attention. Quietly he muttered under his breath while holding a hand straight down with his palm facing the sky. "Under tow." He raised his hand up to chest height and pulled it back to him. A stream of water shot around the man's leg, flinging him against the sandy beach. "You're not going any where." A cruel smile twisted his lips as he continued. "We have a council meeting to go to. I have to show them my proof."

Watching the man squirm, Zoisite knew it was time for the grand finale, and he was ready to see the rest of the council's faces. His detective movie was almost over. 


	6. Trapped

Title: Trapped  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Trapped

It was over. The terror was finally over. Zoisite watched as the Navy sailed away, carrying the last of the pirates with them. He had to stay on for a little while longer to make sure all the loose ends were handled. Brushing his blond hair out of his eyes, he watched as the ships slipped over the horizon.

Holding in his sigh, Zoisite went to handle those loose ends._'The faster I tie them up, the faster I can go home. I'm tired of being trapped here.'_ He kicked at one of the pier beams, and headed for town. The storm that broke over his head startled him. With water sluicing over him, Zoisite tried to find some sort of shelter.

"Over here! Come over here if you want to get out of the rain!" Zoisite homed in on the voice that was calling through the rain. He stopped next to a boat tied to the dock. A young girl waved at him. "Come on! You're never going get dry standing out there like that!" Carefully stepping on to the pitching deck, he did as she said. 

When he stepped under the overhang, the girl looked him up and down, shaking her head._'This is the man who saved my brother's life? I would think he would know how to come in out of the rain.'_ "Lets find you some dry clothes. Come on in." Zoisite looked about, trying to see if someone else was aboard. The girl cast him an amused look. "I'm not that young, and you're not dry enough to argue."

Zoisite blink at her. _'Did she read my mind?'_ Looking back at her, he revised his estimate of her age, there were soft curves well hidden under the loose clothes. "Can I have a towel first? I would hate to drip everywhere."

"I'll get you one. By the way, my name is Alice."

Zoisite looked down into the clear moss green eyes looking up at him. He could see the amusement behind them, and knew he had to look silly. "I am Zoisite. It is nice to meet you."

Her amusement broke free. Laughing lightly, Alice responded to him. "But it would be a lot nice if I got you into dry clothes, right?" Spinning about, she rushed off to get him a towel.

When she left, Zoisite felt a chill setting in. He was sure it was just the weather.


	7. Ensnared

Title: Ensnared  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Rage)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime Crystal Tokyo  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

Ensnared

Dry and dressed in borrowed clothes, Zoisite leaned against the window watching the sea rage in the storm. Part of him hoped that it would stop soon, freeing him from this ship, but most of him wanted to remain.

He heard Alice set a plate down on the small table. "Would you like some refreshments?"

Her voice caressed him. Try as he might, he could not resist turning around. Looking down at her, Zoisite realized that he was ensnared. Her green eyes dominated a sun-kissed face surrounded by sun-bleached hair. But he knew it wasn't her looks that had caught him _'Venus would put her to shame.'_ , but he still wasn't sure what had. All he knew was that it happened sometime between walking into the cabin and standing at the window.

A small frown crossed over her face. "Are you okay?"

Her voice pulled him out of his musings. "I'm sorry, I spaced out there for a moment. It has been a long day. Yes, I would like some refreshments. Will you join me?"

As Alice nodded yes, Zoisite wished he had asked a different question. _'But she would probably throw me back out into the rain if I did."_ Settling into one of the chairs, he prepared to enjoy himself. It was time to be charming, and he knew he was good at that.


End file.
